Sketch of a River or Lake Shore (from Sketchbook) 1857 - 1867

Editor: Here we have Thomas Hewes Hinckley's pencil drawing, "Sketch of a River or Lake Shore," dating roughly from 1857 to 1867. It's currently housed at the Met. I'm struck by how faint it is, almost like a whisper of a memory. What do you see in this piece? Curator: That's a perfect observation. For me, this drawing invites a kind of quiet contemplation. Think of Hinckley, outdoors, perhaps with the wind and the water's scent all around. He's not making a grand statement, but capturing a feeling, an essence. Editor: I get that, but it also feels…unfinished. Like he lost interest halfway through. Curator: Maybe. Or maybe that was his intention. Think of haiku—leaving something for the viewer to complete, to experience. What if he was aiming for suggestion, not photographic reality? He gives us enough to conjure the scene, right? The gentle ripples, implied trees... Do you find yourself filling in the blanks? Editor: I guess so. It’s like a landscape Mad Lib. It also feels very…American, if that makes sense. Curator: In what way? Editor: The open space, the simplicity, almost a democratic feel to the scene. It isn't trying to be grand or imposing. Curator: Absolutely! It speaks to the 19th-century American landscape aesthetic—reverence for nature, without being overly romanticized. Hinckley isn't trying to impress us; he's sharing a moment. Editor: That changes how I see it completely. It’s not unfinished, it’s… intentional. Curator: Precisely. Art isn't always about what's there; sometimes, it's about what isn't. It’s that liminal space that truly sparks our imagination.